One Less Angel
by Nat
Summary: Angel arrives in Sunnydale, competing with Riley for Buffy's love.


Title: One Less Angel  
Author: Nat.  
Rating: PG -13  
Classification: Buffy/Angel  
Spoiler:   
Summary: Angel arrives in Sunnydale, competing with Riley for Buffy's love.  
Disclaimer: The great characters of Angel, Buffy and the other regulars don't belong to me but belong to the excellent shows 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel'. Which belongs to Joss Whedon.  
Author's Note: Look out for a sequel.  
  
  
Angel walked briskly and silently down the alleyway, getting closer and closer to the Bronze. It had being quite a long time since he'd last seen Buffy. When he did see her, he'd hit her, yelled at her and told her to leave him alone. That was 4 months ago.  
Angel's face showed no sign of the tortured thoughts going through his mind. He was so strung up thinking about Buffy that he failed to sense a group of men slowly and quietly, sneaking up on him.  
'How am I going to tell Buffy that I didn't mean all those horrible things I said to her?'  
A stick broke behind him and Angel stopped in mid step and mid thought. He turned around slowly to confront his assailant.  
"So he decides to show his face again in Sunnydale."  
"What do you want Spike?" Angel clenched his fists.  
"I just wanted to see if it was true. I wanted to see if my sire had returned."  
"Make your gloating snappy Spike. I've got somewhere to be."  
"So his here to see the Slayer. That's if I haven't killed her already." Spike smugly replied.  
"Make a hasty retreat Spike." Angel turned back around to heading towards the Bronze.  
"Watch out Angelus. There's a new force in town." Spike smacked himself in the forehead. "Dam bastards put something in my head." He said quietly, walking off into the shadows.   
  
"So where is this guy, we're waiting for?" asked Riley, scanning the Bronze crowd for anyone he didn't know.  
"I'm starting to worry. Angel is never later, for anything." Buffy too scanned the crowd. "Not even for his own funeral." She said to herself.   
Buffy spotted a tall man hiding in the shadows just inside the Bronze front door. She stood up, expecting it to be Angel.  
The man turned around and faced Buffy, for only a second. It wasn't Angel.  
"Beep, beep, beep." Riley looked down at his beeper, then up at Buffy.  
"What is it?"   
"It's a big bad. Knocked down two teams and they still can't stop it."  
Buffy looked down at her watch. "Slayer work needed?"  
"What about this guy you're meeting?"  
"Angel will understand." She drunk the rest of her drink and jumped from the stool. 'I hope he'll understand.'  
Buffy and Riley walked to the exit of the Bronze. Everyone parted to let the through. They had an air of authority about them.  
  
"What's the report Forest?" demanded Agent Riley Finn.  
"This vampire is stronger than any we've encountered before."  
"Vampire!" exclaimed Buffy.  
"Yeah. You know, you're supposed to slay them. Anyway, it took down 3 units before we could get some sedatives into him." Continued Forest.  
"Him! Male Vampire!" exclaimed Buffy again.  
"Are you alright Buff?" Riley put a hand on her shoulder. She surged it off.  
"Show me! Take me to this vampire." She demanded.  
"We can't let you do that."  
"And you're going to stop me." Buffy thought Forest against the wall with great force and put a fist to his face. "Take my to him now!"  
"Calm down Buffy." Riley pulled her off Forest. "Forest take us to this vampire now. That's an order."  
"Yes, sir." Forest said reluctantly, walking in the direction of the holding rooms.  
  
"Here." Forest stopped in front of a glass front cell. A creature was curled up in one of the corners of the cell.  
"What's with the chains?" Questioned Riley.  
"He kept trying to break down the glass. Even though it's electrified, it didn't seem to make any difference, so we have to chain him."  
Buffy stared at the creature in the cell.  
It's clothes were shredded and almost falling off it's back. It looked up at the 3 people standing outside it's cell.  
"Buffy." It said quietly, full of pain and misfortune.  
"Angel?" questioned Buffy looking closer.  
"I wouldn't get to close to the cell." Suggested Forest.  
"Open the cell."  
"Are you kidding?" he looked shocked at her suggestion. "I think you need to talk so sense into her Riley."  
"I'm not going to asked you again Forest, so if I was you, I'd open the cell. Now!" she threaten again.  
"Buffy what are you doing?" asked Riley. "This vampire is a grade A threat to society. We can't let it out. We don't even know what it's capable of."  
"Buffy." The creature said again and Buffy lost it.  
"That's Angel you're talking about. Open the god dam cell now or I'm going to open it with your skull."  
Forest still refused to open the cell. Buffy grabbed to key card off him and rammed his head continuously into the wall until he fell, unmoving. She pushed Riley out of the way.  
"What are you doing Buffy?"  
"I'm not going to let you do tests on him." Buffy opened the cell door and ran to Angel's side. "Hey Angel." She said in a soft, soothing voice. "It's alright, I'm here now. Let's get you out of here." She looked over to Riley. "Give me a hand."  
"I can't Buffy. Not until you tell me who he is? Why you're helping a vampire and why you're calling him Angel?"  
"Riley this is Angel." Buffy hulled him to his feet and unlocked the chains around his wrists. "Angel this is Riley. Now help me or rack off."  
"Sorry but I can't Buffy. This vampire is a treat and I'm not going to let you take him out of here."  
"Then don't let me take him." Buffy lent Angel against a wall. "Help me or get lost." Buffy proposed to Riley again.  
Riley moved and stood in her way. "Sorry I have to do this then." Riley unexceptionally copped a roundhouse kick to his mid section, which sent him sprawling to the floor next to Forest.  
Buffy went back to Angel and helped him out of the Initiative facility.  
  
It was dark outside on the campus. The trees seemed to set a creepy glow over everything. It reminded Buffy of old times, when she used to kick some serious demon butts, with Angel at her side. But everything had changed since then.  
"Are you alright Angel?" Asked Buffy, propping him up on a wooded seat and checking his facial wounds.  
"I've had worse."  
"And when was the last time I heard that? Come on, we have to keep going. The Initiative will be hot on our hells shortly." Angel put an arm around Buffy's shoulder and leant on her. "Now I just got to think of a place to hide you." They hurried off again. "Your mansion! They don't know about you mansion."  
"Who are the Initiative?"  
"We'll get into this discussion later. First we have to get somewhere that's safe, for you."  
"What about you Buffy? Are you going to be safe?"  
"I'll be fine. Do you think you can pick up the pace a bit?"  
They jogged off the campus and into the cemetery, which was just next door.  
Satisfied that they weren't being followed, Buffy helped Angel to his old mansion.  
  
"This place hasn't changed much." Said Buffy, easing Angel down onto the mattress, she'd taken from his old bed and place in front of the fire.  
"It has change. Everything's change. You've changed but I always stay the same."  
Buffy started to unbutton Angel's shirt. He put a hand on her, to stop her. She flinched. "I appreciate you helping me Buffy but you need to move on. We've being through all this before." He looked up into to her eyes. "We meet, you teat my wounds and we both remember how it goes from there."  
"That's not going to happen again." She looked away from his gaze and started to make a fire. Turning her back to him so she wouldn't have to look at his face when she said, "I have a boyfriend."  
Angel swore he could feel his unbeating heart being ripped from his chest. "This good." He said not meaning a word of it. "You moved on." He was close to tears. "Who is he?" Angel said out of breath.  
Buffy turned back to him from stoking up the fire. "Are you going to let me help you?"   
"After you treat my wounds, you can tell me why you wanted to see me and then I'll get on the next freight train back to LA." Buffy nodded and unbuttoned the last few buttons on his shredded shirt. "Who is he?" Angel asked again.  
"His names Riley Finn."  
"But didn't you just kick the crap out of him about 20 minutes ago?" he questioned.  
Buffy nodded, wiping his wound with a wet cloth and then placing bandages over them.  
"Why?"  
"I wasn't about to let the Initiative do to you what they did to Spike. You already can't eat people."  
Angel put his cold hand on Buffy's face and made her look him in the eyes. "The truth Buffy."  
"They do stuff to demons. Wired stuff. They put a chip in Spike's head and now he can't eat or even hurt humans. I think you've suffered enough."  
"Thanks for the sympathy vote Buffy but I can do with out it." He paused and looked around his old home. Finally fixing his eye back on Buffy Summers. The 19years old Vampire Slayer.   
"They certainly belted you up a good one. Forest was telling me that you took out three units before they could get you down."  
Angel said with a slightly humor in his tone, "The little shits would stay on the ground." He looked around the room again. "What happened to you? What happened to the spark inside of you, that I love so much?"  
"What spark?"   
"You tried to change yourself to much, didn't you?"  
"What are you talking about Angel?"   
"You can't change who you are Buffy. Believe me, I've tried." He reached out and touched the leather jacket she was wearing. "You still have it." She started to breathe heavily so he took his hand away.  
"I could never get rid of this jacket." She had to think of something to say and quick. "It's good luck. It helps me fight better." Buffy rambled out.  
"You lie."  
"I don't lie. Do I lie? I never lie." She kept rambling.  
"I think you better go Buffy." Angel regretted having to say. "I'll be fine."  
"I'm not going to leave you here by yourself. It's not safe."  
"I'm 242 years old. Don't you think by now I could look after myself?" She smiled at him.  
"I thought LA was supposed to be depressive, no give you a sense of humor."  
"Your spark is back. Just don't lose it again. Now you better go."  
"Why are you trying to push me away?"  
"Because...because...because."  
"You said that 3 times already." Buffy released what was happening and jumped up. "You're right. I should be going. I'll be back in an hour or so and I'll bring you something to eat."  
She was half way to the door when Angel whispered softly, "Be careful."  
"Always." Buffy turned and left.  
  
By the time Angel managed to get up off the floor and stand without falling over, he had decided to leave town before Buffy returned. Well maybe hide out until tomorrow night.  
He got half way to the door when Buffy returned.  
She ran to his side as he collapsed to the floor again. "What are you doing Angel? You know that you're not strong enough to walk around yet." She helped him back to the mattress. Looking at the ragged clothes he had on again, Buffy came to a conclusion. "You were going to run, weren't you?"  
With out looking at Buffy, Angel replied, "It was stupid of me to come back here in the first place. I have to go. It's for the better of both of us." He paused while trying to stand again. "Go back to your life with Riley. I know that he'll provide a better life for you."  
"Provide a better life than who? You?" Buffy was hurt to think that Angel was letting her go or more to put it, pushing her away.  
"It's better that I just go." He staggered to the door.  
"Why is it better that you just go? So you don't have to deal."  
"We had this conversation before. I deal but I deal with it myself. Go back to Riley."  
"If you walk out that door, your going to get yourself killed Angel and you know it." Buffy waited to see if he would react. "Please stay here. At least till tomorrow night. I don't want you to get hurt." She pleaded letting her sentence get softer as she spoke.  
"One night." Angel knew that he was in no condition to be tracking off into the night. "Then I'm gone."  
Buffy walked up to him, put an arm his waist and helped him back to the mattress.  
"One night and then you can go." She turned away from him and looked at her bag. "I got you something to eat." Pulling a container out of the bag and handing it to him. "I didn't know when the last time you ate was. Better safe than sorry."   
Angel examined the container over and over. Feeling sick that Buffy was waiting for him to drink it's content.  
"I told Giles that you were back. I figured that I better tell him this time or he might just get a bit testy. Did I say testy? I didn't mean to say testy. I meant to so that he might get angry."  
"That's good." Angel set the container aside. He tried to get up.  
"What are you trying to do now? Leave?" Snapped Buffy.  
"No." He pointed to the window. "It's getting light."  
"Oh, yeah, I might help if I close the curtains." She felt like a fool. Acting like a 10-year-old that had just being told about sex. She got up and closed the curtains and stuck another log on the fire. "How are you felling?"  
"As good as a 242 year old beaten up vampire can fell. Shit!"  
"It can't be as bad as when I first started college. There was this big group of vamps, that were really strong. The beat the crap out of me about four time before I staked then all." She sounded pleased with herself.  
"I hope your being careful when you're patrolling."  
"Aren't I always?"  
"I can think of a few time you haven't kept an eye on your duty."  
"Like when?"  
Angel gave her a hurt look, that she couldn't remember when they came close to death because they were to busy making out against headstones.  
"Anyway, Riley comes patrolling with me. He's nearly managed to hold his own. I can still kick his ass." Buffy smiled thinking of Riley's ass.  
"Or course you can beat him up. He is just a simple human, you have other worldly powers. You shouldn't feel proud of yourself of beating him up. It's an unfair match."  
"Thanks Angel. You say that I've changed. Well have a look in the mirror. Oops. I forgot, you haven't being able to look in the mirror for over 200 years." She stormed off in disgust.  
"That's not fair, Buffy." Angel slumped down on the mattress and looked at the container of blood.  
He throw it at the wall. He couldn't even manage to make the container brake.  
"This is shit! I didn't mean it Buffy!" He said but she had already gone.  
  
Buffy stood out the front of Angel's mansion and cried. "I didn't meant what I said about the mirror, Angel. God you're a bitch Buffy Summers. His never going to forgive me now." She said quietly, taking once last look at the mansion before running off, just as the first glimpses of the sun rose over the horizon.  
  
"Hey Buffy. Where were you last night? Were you with Riley."  
Buffy looked at Willow and gave her a halfhearted smile. "So you weren't with Riley." Willow was trying to figure out why her friend was so glum.  
"I was with Riley but not with Riley last night." Buffy started to talk in riddles, like she did when she tried to explain something or just didn't want to talk.  
"So if you weren't with Riley last night, night, then where were you?"  
Buffy answered with one word. "Angel."  
Willow knew what it was between her best friend and her devil; she had the same thing with Oz but not to their extent. "Angel's back." Willow said brightly. "Wow. So you stayed with Angel last night."  
"It's not like that Will. I've come to terms with the fact that Angel and I can never be together. I moved on. Angel even said that himself. I'm happy, that's if Riley will forgive me."  
"Why? What does he have to forgive you for?"  
"I kicked him."  
"You kicked him." Willow repeated a little shocked.  
"Hard."  
"You kicked Riley hard. What bought all this on? Did you guys have a fight?"  
"Kind of. It has a lot to do with..."  
"Riley." Willow looked at him as he approached them.  
"Hi Willow. Buffy. Can I talk to you?" He asked.  
"Can't it wait 'cause I was kind of in the middle of explaining something to Willow." Buffy avoided eye contact at all costs.  
"No, it's fine. Buffy can..." Buffy looked over at Willow and she changed the last bit of her sentence. "Buffy can talk to you later. Bye Riley." Will took Buffy by the arm and walked off in a hurry. "Thanks Buffy. Now you made me lie to your boyfriend. What's so important that you want to talk to me and not Riley?"  
"I kicked Riley last night because of Angel." Buffy blurted out.  
"So you just kicked Riley because you were thinking of Angel."  
"No, Will. You can't tell any of this to anyone because it may get Angel killed or he will get a chip put in his head."  
"So it has to do with the Initiative. I promise I'll never tell a living soul." Will thought about it a second. "Or dead soul or zombie or vampire or..."  
"I get the point Will."  
"Oh, OK, then."  
"I was waiting at the Bronze with Riley for Angel to show up. He was meant to be there an hour after the sun went down but he wasn't. Riley got a message on his beeper. Some big bad was taking out a lot of their units. Because Angel hadn't shown I went with him."  
"Oh, my god. Angel was the big bad. Wasn't he?"  
Buffy nodded. "I ended up beating the crap out of Forest and kicked Riley to be able to get Angel out of there. I took him somewhere safe and cleaned up his wounds."  
"And."  
"And we had a fight and I said some really mean things to him." She looked down at the ground, she was that disgusted with herself.  
"It's alright Buffy. Angel knows that you didn't mean to say the thing you did. He'll forgive you." Willow gave her friend a hug.  
"I hope your right, Will. I hope your right."  
  
For the rest of the day Buffy tried to avoid seeing or talking to Riley.   
"Why won't you talk to him Buffy? He's just going to be more upset with you if you keep avoiding him, like you are."  
"I know that Will but I just really don't want to do all the explaining to him. I don't feel up to telling him that even though I'm the Vampire Slayer, I'm in love with a vampire."  
"So you still do love Angel!" Willow smiled, in her kooky little way. "Well these a start. You admitted you still love Angel."  
"That's just the thing Will. I'm always going to love him."   
"Well you can't hide from Riley forever."  
"And why not?"  
"We have phic class in 5 minutes."  
"Dam! And I was hoping to avoid him at least until tomorrow. Give him time for his bruises to heal."  
The bell rang and Buffy looked unhappy. "Why couldn't my life be simple? Have one guy and one job. No school could be good too."  
"Come on Buffy. We don't want to keep everyone waiting." They licked arms and walked towards the lecture hall.  
  
"I can't believe I kicked him, Will." Buffy watched as Riley handed out an assignment paper. He put a hand to his stomach, when he stretched to give someone the assignment paper. "Look at him Will. I hurt him really bad. His never going to forgive me."  
"Calm down Buffy. I sure that if you explain to him about Angel, we'll understand."  
"Understand that I love someone else."   
"That's the end of class for today people. Don't forget that these assignments are due first thing next week. You're all dismissed." Everyone started to pile out of the auditorium after they were giving an assignment sheet. Buffy and Willow were the last two people that Riley came to give the sheet to. He handed one to Willow and then Buffy.  
"I have to talk to you about you're grades Buffy." Said Riley.  
"I'd better get going. Bye Riley." Willow skipped down the stairs and out side.  
Riley walked down the stairs, to the door and closed it.  
"You said you had to talk to me about my grades." Buffy followed him down to the front desk.  
"Not really. Your grades are fine but this is the only way I could get you to talk to me." Riley sat on the desk. "Talk to me Buffy."  
"Talk to you about what?" She didn't look him in the eyes when she spoke.  
"For starters you can tell me why I have a huge bruise on my stomach and why I got it?"  
"That was your fault Riley. I asked you to help me but you wouldn't."  
"So I get kicked in the guts because I wouldn't help you. Well help me to understand Buffy because at the moment I'm not understanding very much of what comes out your mouth. Who is Angel? Apart from him being a vampire, which I gathered that much."  
"I wasn't going to let you hurt Angel. Put a chip in head like you did to Spike."  
"It seems to me that you have a lot of vampire friends. I thought you were supposed to kill them, not befriend them."  
"This is why I don't want to have this conversation with you Riley, because you don't understand." Said Buffy frustratingly. She sat down on a chair in the front row.  
"Help me understand."  
"Do you really want to know?"  
"I think I'm entitled to know the true."  
"Even if you're not going to like any of what I say?"  
"Yes Buffy. Please tell me." He moved from the front desk and sat next to her.  
"Angel and Spike are both vampires. Angel actually sired Spikes sire." Buffy turned and looked Riley in the eyes. "Me and Angel...Angel and me." Buffy tried to think of a way not to hurt Riley. He sat there patiently waiting for her to go on. "Angel and I where an item." She sped up the speed of her sentence. "I know your going to think that it's really wired that the Vampire Slayer fall in love with a vampire. As a matter of fact the most vicious and brutal vampire ever on record but he changed. He has a soul. His not like all other vampire and I couldn't let the Initiative hurt him. You don't understand how much pain Angel has already being though. Remembering everyone he has killed and feeling remorseful for him crimes."  
"Wow." Riley stood up and nearly fall back down. "I don't know what to say."  
"Now do you understand why I can't let you near Angel. It wasn't his fault that he belted up all your guys. He was only protecting himself. If I had been there I would have helped him. I would have wooped your ass again and again if it was to keep Angel safe."   
"You really care for this vampire, don't you?"  
"His names Angel. And yes I do care greatly for him. The way he treated me, no one can ever measure up to. Not even you Riley." He looked hurt.  
"Then if you love him." Riley refused to use Angel's name. "Then why are you with me and not him?"  
"As much as I love Angel, we can never be together. We both found that out the hard way."  
"And how was that?  
"You remember me telling you about the Judge?" Riley nodded. "That night I..."  
"You've had sex with a vampire!" Riley was disgusted.  
"He was my first."  
"You lost you're virginity to a vampire! This keeps getting better and better."  
"When we slept together, Angel achieved one true moment of happiness and his soul was taken from him. He changed back to the monster he'd was over 200 years ago. I had to kill him but not before he tried to destroy everything I hold dear to me."  
"Then if you killed him, how come he is still alive?"  
"It's a long story but Angel got his soul back and he was back to the way he was before we had sex. After he helped kill the Mayor, he left for LA. He said that as long as we were together, he had a chance of being happy again. He didn't want to risk hurting anyone and most of all, he didn't want to hurt me." Buffy wiped tears from her face. "I never wanted to tell you about Angel because I knew that you would have second thoughts."  
"Don't you think I have every right to have second thoughts about everything, after what you just told me? You just said to me that a fish and a bird could fall in love. Two opposites Buffy. Well maybe two similars can fall out of love." Riley walked out the door.  
"Riley!" Buffy called out after him.  
  
"So how did it go?" Willow had being sitting on her bed, waiting for Buffy to return to their dorm.  
"I really don't know Will. He listened to what I said but he hated ever word. I don't even know if he is still going to talk to me anymore. And I thought being the Slayer was hard work? Having a love life's worse."  
"I suppose your right about that."  
"Sorry Willow."  
"It's alright Buffy. I have to get over Oz." She looked over at a picture of the Scooby Gang. Cordial, Xander, Giles, Oz, herself and of course Buffy were sitting at one of the tables in the old Sunnydale High School library.  
"Hey, I got an idea." Buffy brightened. "And don't you even think of say 'well that's a first'."  
"I'd never dream of it."  
"Let's go Bronzing tonight. Stuff the homework, stuff the guys, stuff everything. Let's go hook up with a couple of hotties tonight."  
"The thing is I look and you hook."  
"You remember Holloween and all those looks you were getting from guys. You're a little hottie Will." Buffy moved to the cupboard. "I just got to dress you up." She pulled out a bright blue mini skirt and a pair of hooker boots. "That's for the bottom. Now a top to go with." Buffy rummaged through the cupboard. "Here go." She gave Willow a white top with a big smiley flower on it.  
"This is a bad idea Buffy. Willow Rosenburg and hooking up guys don't work."  
"That's why you got me. Now put that on and I'll wear this." Buffy pulled an extremely tight, black leather mini skirt out of a draw. "I just hope we don't run into trouble. I don't want my new skirt covered in vampire ash and demon guts."  
"That didn't made me feel any better. Now I just think this is what my parents are going to see me wearing when they identify my body at the morgue."  
"Lighten up Will, I think we both need to." She put on her skirt, a white singlet top and started to lace up her black boots. "Hurry up Will or by the time we get to the Bronze, all the good guys are going to be taken."  
"Do I really have to wear this?"  
"Yes, now hurry up because we need to make a stop on the way."  
"To see if Riley wants to come?" Willow zipped up the skirt.  
"Will, I just told you that he wasn't talking to me or at least I think he isn't."  
"Then to see if Xander wants to come?"  
"Nope. Wrong part of town."  
"I know this time. It's feeding time at the zoo?"  
"You got it in three Will." Buffy fixed a stake in her boot, just for protrusions. "Now you ready to go?"  
"Coming." The headed out of their dorm.  
  
"Angel." Said Buffy looking around the lounge room where she had left him the night before. "I don't know where he could have gone. Its not like he can get up and walk around much. He was pretty banged up."  
"You just got to know how to get his attention." Willow looked around. "Here, Angel, Angel, Angel." She patted her leg, instructing Angel to come to her.  
"That's not Ha Ha, Will." Buffy failed to be amused by Willow's joke.  
"Could of fooled me." Angel walked from the shadows that he blended into so well. "I got the picture that that's all I was to you. A dog, that comes and brings you the paper, when you can't be bothered getting off the couch." He looked disgusted with Buffy. "Nice skirt Willow."  
She went red in the face. "Thanks." Will played with her hair.  
"You don't have to be like this Angel." Buffy placed a new container of blood on the coffee table.  
"And why the hell shouldn't I."  
"Because it isn't fair."  
"What not fair to you that I'm telling you the truth or not fair that I have to live knowing everything I love, I can't have."  
"I'll just wait out side." Willow walked towards the door.  
"You don't have to go." Said Angel not taking his eyes off Buffy.  
"I think it's best." And she walked out the door.  
"Now look what you've done. I was going to take her out tonight to get her mind off things. You just screwed up her whole night."  
"You can't let go, can you?" asked Angel. He walked to the fireplace and stood in front of it. Warming his cold body.  
"Let go of what?"  
"Me."  
"You are so full of yourself Angel. What the hell makes you think that?" He simply pointed to her jacket. "So what! I like this jacket plus it goes with this skirt."  
"Oh really."  
"Yes Angel." He looked down at the floor and swayed ever so slightly. "It is hard to find nice clothes that match your wardrobe. I suppose you got that easy. Anything that's black, you'll wear." He looked really sick. "Are you even listening to what I'm saying? Angel!" He toppled over but Buffy court him before he hit the ground. "Angel!" She yelled, sounding alarmed. Willow came rushing in to see what was going on.  
"Angel, Angel." Buffy kept repeating. She pulled him onto her lap so his head was resting on it.  
"What?" He said wearily.   
"What's wrong with you?"  
"I think this is the problem, Buffy." Willow picked up the container that Buffy had bought him blood in the night before. She them gestured to the dry blood on the wall.  
"Get that container or blood for me, Will." Willow passed it to her. "Be a good little vampire and open wide." Buffy slowly tipped the content of the container into his mouth. He swallowed it all.  
"Stop it Buffy." He tried to move away from her but failed miserable.  
"Why didn't you drink the blood I got you last night?"  
"Don't you think I'm old enough to look after myself?"  
"He has a point Buffy." Informed Willow.  
"That may be but I'm not going to let you waste away just to piss me off. If I have to I'll chain you up in our dorm closet and feed you up till you're... till you're."  
"Till what Buffy? Till I have to depend on you totally. Till I have no life. Till I..."  
"Shut up Angel!" Buffy growled and stood up, placing a cushion under his head. "Sorry to stuff up our plans Will. I'll be back later." She walked to the door and out into the night.  
"Why do you two have to be like this?" asked Willow. "Is it because of Riley?"  
"I've only ever meet Riley once and that was when Buffy kicked him a good one to save me, yet again. I wouldn't even know what Riley looks like. Except his tall, dresses in commando clothes and has a good fist."  
"Then is it because she keeps helping you but you never have anyway of paying her back?"  
"I've only ever told this to Doyel."  
"What?"  
"I could have had Buffy."  
"What do you mean?"  
"The first time Buffy came to visit me in LA..."  
"That was because she was anger that you didn't say hello to her when you where here."  
"Did Buffy tell you anything of what happened, while she was in LA?"  
"Only about a demon jumping through your window and you knew how to kill it straight away."  
"That's not the whole truth. We were both nearly killed by the same demon but in a different time space."  
"I don't follow."  
"The first time the demon showed up, he got away. Buffy and I went into the sewers to track it and kill it. We ended up splitting up and I found it. I managed to kill it but it cut my hand and our bloods mixed. It made me human."  
"What?" Willow couldn't believe what he said.  
"You could probable have guessed what happened between me and Buffy."  
"So why didn't Buffy mention any of this to me?"  
"Because it was as if that part of the day never happened but I could remember it."  
"So are you a vampire now?  
"Yes."  
"Then what happened to make you a vampire again?"  
"Another demon came after us. The same kind of demon as before. I tried to kill it by myself but I didn't have the same strength or healing abilities I have as a vampire. It nearly killed me but Buffy saved my life again."  
"That still doesn't explain how you're still a vampire."  
"I went to talk to the TPTB and asked them to make me a demon again."  
"But why? You had everything you ever wanted."  
"That's just the thing Willow. I had Buffy but I couldn't protect her. I would have died. Don't take this personal but it would be the same as Buffy is always saving yours and Xander's or even Giles life. I couldn't live like that. The Powers That Be told me that I would be the only one to remember what had happened. Buffy wouldn't even remember when I walked out into the sunlight to meet her."  
"I think I understand now. You're upset that Buffy doesn't remember what you had or what you could of have."  
"We can't have anything Willow. It's to dangerous."  
"As much as I like Riley, I think I can help you get Buffy back."  
"I can't have Buffy. She is happy now. If she is happy, there is a part of me that is happy."  
"Don't be an idiot Angel. I know as well as you do that you would do anything to have Buffy. I have an idea. I'll be back in an hour." She got up to leave.  
"Before you go Willow." She turned and looked at him. "Take your pick from the trunk over there." He pointed to the corner of the room.  
"What's in it?" She opened the trunk to find a disarray of crosses, stakes, holes water and other thing vampires hate.  
"I figured that you couldn't hide any weapons under your outfit, which looks different on you."  
"Thanks Angel. I want be to long." Willow left in a hurry.  
  
"So you're what all the fuss is about."  
Angel turned his head to see who had entered his mansion. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know who you are."  
"Oh, so you just screw around with my girlfriend but you don't know who I am."  
Angel lay his head back down on the cushion. "So we meet again Riley. I was kind of hoping that when we actually met again that it would be on good terms." Angel said with a slight laugh. "You here to finish the job that your commando friends couldn't?" Riley walked closer to him but still kept a distance.  
"Your sadistic."  
"So I was wondering if you were going to drive a stake through in heart now or just boar me to death with you pity stories?"  
"I think I have the upper hand here." Riley shoved a cross in Angel's face. He shirred away.  
"And how did you get that? Have your friend's beat me up so then maybe you could kill me. Sorry to say son but I'm out of your league. Just ask Buffy."  
"You leave Buffy out of this."  
"Why should I? She's the reason you want to kill me." Riley showed Angel the cross again.  
"Your weak. I could kill you at any second I chooses."  
"Go ahead. I just wouldn't like your chances that Buffy would ever forgive you. She loves me, in case you forgot. More than she'll ever love you."  
Riley actually let the cross touch Angel's face this time. It smoldered and left a cross shape imprinted on his cheek. Angel flailed his arms around and knocked the cross out of Riley's hand.   
"There's plenty more where that come form." Riley pulled another cross out of a pocket on his pants.  
"I give you credit. You came prepared but I'll tell you one thing."  
"What would that be vampire?"  
"You have yet to learn the concept of torture."  
"Oh yeah!" Riley put the cross in Angel's face.  
"I'm over 200 years old and I'd mastered the art of torture by age 23. I've had my fair share of torture and this doesn't even measure, well maybe on the bore scale."  
"Then what would you have me do? Ripe out your unbeating heart."  
"I can take torture. It's just a walk in the park but there is something that's worse than torture."  
"Humor me."  
"Not having Buffy."  
"You disgust you."  
"What are you going to do about?"  
"Send you to hell."  
"Been there already. Nice place but you wouldn't want to say."  
"Give me a break."  
"Can't do." Angel sat up and Riley jumped back. "How exciting?"  
"What?"  
"I can smell your fear. You're scared of me. I don't blame you. If I were you, I'd be scared of me."  
"I have nothing to be afraid of you for."  
"Yes there is. Buffy. Your shit scared that I'm going to get Buffy." Angel stood up and proceeded to walk away.  
"Why do you think your going?"  
"Well you said that you were going to torture me." Angel pointed at Riley. "I'm bored and hungry."  
"You even think of it and I'll kill you."  
"Think of what? Draining every last drop of your blood. I wouldn't dream of it."  
'I came here with a mission. A mission to kill Angel but I can't do it. What the hell not?' thought Riley.  
"If your wondering why you can't kill me, its because you're a chicken. You don't have the killing instinct like me and Buffy do. We were born to kill, unlike you who was born to be defenseless and weak." Angel waited for Riley, giving him a chance to fight back. "Come on. Have a go at me. I know that you desperately want to. Come on, take your best shot." He was playing mind games with Riley and he was falling for it.  
"But I don't want to hurt you any more than you already are." Sneered Riley.  
"Don't knock yourself out trying." Angel turned his back on Riley and he lunged at him.  
Angel took a side step into the wall disappearing through a secrete passage.  
"That's not fair. You cheat."  
"You didn't count on this house belonging to me, did you?" Angel laughed, his voice echoing down the dark passage.  
  
"Why do you have such a big smile on your face?" asked Willow, returning to the mansion.  
"I got a visitor."  
"Well I can say that it wasn't Buffy. Who came here?" Willow placed a thick book on the floor beside the couch and sat down with Angel.  
"Riley."  
"But how did Riley know you were here? Only me, you and Buffy knew."  
"Must have tailed you and Buffy before."  
"What did you do to him? I hope you didn't beat him up."  
"He got lost my house."  
"Lost!" laughed Willow. "Your house isn't that big."  
"I lead him down a few secrete passages and what do you know, his eyes aren't as good in the dark as mine are."  
"That's mean Angel." She said laughing.  
"I had to do something because he had some through that he was going to kill me and I'm not exactly strong enough to beat him up, yet. What's the book for?"  
"That's how I'm going to help you."  
"Not magic Willow. Sorry but magic is what made me like this is the first place."  
"But think Angel, if the Gypsies hadn't put a spell on you, you would have never met Buffy. Well you might have but you would have killed her."  
"So your in on this whole vampire thing too. I thought better of you Willow." Riley stood at the entrance to the room. He looked Willow over. "That is you Willow?" he questioned.  
"Yes it is me and if I were you, I'd get out of here before Buffy gets back and kicks your ass again."  
"She told you about that." Riley was a bit embarrassed.  
"Buffy tells me everything."  
"That is embarrassing. How would you feel?" commented Angel.   
Riley glared at him. "Fine you win this time Angel but there will always be a next time." He walked to the door, moving to leave.  
"I look forward to kicking your head in. Maybe I can show you what real torture is like. Oh, by the way, next time we meet, I'll be at my full strength. It was a pleasrue meeting you." Angel waved to Riley as he walked out the door.  
"You're mean Angel!"  
"You don't know the half of it Willow." Angel smiled.  
"Before your mind can I at least tell you how I can help you get back with Buffy?"  
"You may as well tell me, since you went to all the trouble. What does this spell involve?"  
"Do you think that you and Buffy are soul mates?"  
"I don't know. I haven't really though of it."  
"But didn't you say to Buffy that in all the years that you have being alive, well dead but alive, well you know what I mean." Angel nodded. "Didn't you tell her that she is the only one that you have ever loved?"  
"Buffy really does tell you everything."  
"And she did help you lose your soul, so I'd say that you are as close to soul mates as two can get."  
"Why do you need to know if we are soul mates?"  
"This spell can only work of soul mates. Now what you have to do." Willow picked up the book she bought and flicked it open to a page and started reading. "You have to make two bracelets. One for you and one for Buffy."  
"Make them."  
"Yes. They have to be made of a few strands of each other's hair, some olive leave symbolizing peace, three pieces of ribbon platted together. They have to be red, white and black ribbons, all the same length. Now once you have made up the bracelets, they have to be soaked in each others blood for a cycle of a full moon."  
"But what is the bracelets for?"  
"After you have soaked them in the blood, well basically you just wear it on your wrist when you sleep with her. It is mean to keep your soul from leaving your body. It's some really ancient act of people that thought their soul left their body when they did acts of impurity or in other words, when ever they had sex."  
"But we have no guarantees that these bracelets will work. I could turn again and I don't want to do that to any of you again."  
"I still have the transcripts from giving you back your soul last time."  
"Still Willow by the time you catch me, I would have brutally killed lots of people."  
"There is another way."  
"What?"  
"So you are thinking of actually doing this?"  
"Not being selfish but I would do anything to have Buffy but still be able to protect her."  
"You can test out the bracelets."  
"What are you going to lock us up in cage in case anything goes wrong?"  
"That was pretty much what I had planed. So will you try it?"  
"I would but I don't think Buffy will go for it."  
"Let me talk to her, see how she felt about you. I know for a fact that she still loves you but I don't know to what extent. If she opens up, I'll tell her about the bracelets."  
"I really appreciate you doing this for us Willow."  
"Thank me if it works. Now I better get going before Buffy gets back. When she does come back, talk to her instead of yelling and making mean comments. You'd be surprised what a few kind works can change about a persons feelings."  
"I'll make sure I do that."  
"Don't go skipping town either because that won't make her very happy. Bye Angel."  
"I'll see you later Willow."   
  
"So have you talked to Riley yet?" asked Willow early the next morning.  
"No." Buffy sighed. "He hasn't made an attempt to talk to me and I haven't either."  
"Do you still like him them?"  
"What's with the third degree Will? I thought that only parents were supposed to do that."  
"I'm just getting my facts straight."  
"I do still love him. It's not like you can just love someone one day and not the next."  
"Do you still love Angel?"  
"We've being through all this before. I still love Angel and I do love Riley."  
Willow put the lid down on her lap -top. "Being hypothetical here. Say Angel couldn't lose his soul. Who would you be with now Riley or Angel?"  
"I don't know Will. I wish I could say both of them. But is Angel still a vampire and is Riley still in the Initiative?" Buffy asked getting all her facts right before answering.  
"Angel is still a vampire. Good and he can't lose his soul. His is acting like he was before you two slept together." Buffy remembered back to those beautiful days. "Riley is still in the Initiative and you two are like you were a week ago. Who do you chose?"  
"Angel...Riley...Angel...no Riley."  
"I take Angel as your answer because that's what you said first."  
"Yeah, I would say Angel. Riley can never compare to have he made me feel. What's all this questioning about Willow? Did Angel asked you to do this?"  
"No Buffy but I do have some news to tell you."  
"What Willow? Is it about Angel? Is he alright? Did the Initiative find him? Tell me."  
"Calm down Buffy. It's good news."  
"Thank god."  
"It is about Angel though. I was talking to Angel last night after you ran off."  
"And."  
"Did you know that he still love you really, really, really..."  
"Enough with the reallys Will. Tell me."  
"Anyway he still loves you a lot. What would you say if I told you that you and Angel could get back together?"  
"I'd say it's to dangerous."  
"What if I told you that I found a way the Angel can't lose his soul?"  
"I'd say you had a weird dream last nigh Willow." Buffy smiled and shock her head.  
"I'm telling the truth Buffy. I was reading one of my spell books and I came pass a spell to keep ones soul intact. It didn't really register it then but it could work Buffy."  
"Could Willow. Could. What if it doesn't? What if Angel goes bad again, how are we going to stop him? It's to dangerous."  
"That's what Angel said."  
"You went to Angel with this before me. What did he say?"  
"Angel didn't want to make a discussion because he said that you were happy with Riley and that he didn't want to disturb your life with him." Willow was lying out her teeth. She know that both Angel and Buffy where to scared that the spell wouldn't work. Neither of them wanted to go back on some of the hurtful things they had said to each other.  
"He said that."  
"Yes. He misses you terribly Buffy."  
"He said that too."  
"He doesn't want to say anything because his happy that you found someone to fill his place."  
"But I don't want to anyone to fill Angel's place." She was playing into Willow's hands.  
"What if I could get Angel to say that he would go through with it and try this spell, would you be in on it?"  
"I still think that it's to dangerous. What if something goes wrong?"  
"I kept the transcript's from restoring Angel's soul last time. All I have to say it that when you try it this spell, that we're going to have to lock you two up, just as a proportion."  
"Cage us. You're so nice Willow."  
"Well it's easier to have Angel in a cage than have to track his down."  
"Point taken."  
"So would you be part of it?"  
Buffy sighed. "If you can convince Angel, I'll be a part." She paused a minute. "Will are you going to see him tonight?"  
"If you want me to go tonight?"  
"I'll come with you, just for safety reason but I'll stay out of sight. Can you take him some food?"  
"If I must."  
  
"How did you go talking to Buffy?" asked Angel.  
"She took it hook, line and sinker. She said that if I could convince you, she'd be a part." Willow handed him a container of blood. "It looks like you got your wish."  
Angel smiled.  
"I'll get her to come here with me tomorrow night and I'll explain the fine print to you both. As Xander always said, 'you're a lucky devil Angel'. I'll see you tomorrow night."  
"So he said that he would be part of it?" Asked Buffy intrigued. They walked through the dorm to their room.  
"After I explained that you were in on the spell, he said yes straight away. I told you that he is still in love with you. We're going to meet him in an hour. Did you get a hold of Riley today?"  
"I still can't find him. I've asked Forest if he know where he was but his scared of me now."  
"Because you smashed his head into a wall. I don't blame the guy. What if I find Riley and talk to him? Maybe I can get through to him or something."  
"I just want to talk to him and tell him what's going on. I feel really mean that I'm going experiment a spell with Angel, that involves us sleeping together and not telling Riley. After all I am still going out with him. Or maybe that's what he's trying to tell me by not talking to me. Do you think that's what his trying to get through to me?"  
"I don't know Buffy. All I know is that you finally have a chance to see what life could be like with Angel. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"  
"I suppose."  
"Just keep a positive mind and then nothing can go wrong."  
"I hope everything goes to plan but if it doesn't, I'm really thankful that your trying to help me get back together with Angel."  
"What are friends for?"   
"You're the best friend anyone could ask for." Buffy gave Willow a big hug. "So what do you think Angel will like me wearing?" asked Buffy as she unlocked their dorm door and walked in.  
"I think he'll like you wearing anything that you..." Willow trailed off when Buffy stopped halfway through the door. "Buffy what is it?"  
"Hi Riley. Where have you being? I've being looking for you for ages." Buffy tried for a smile but failed.  
"I just remembered that I have to get a book off Tara. I'll be back in 10. Don't forget our appointment Buffy." Willow walked off down the hall.  
Buffy shut the door behind her and sat down on the bed next to Riley. "You haven't answered my question?"  
"I've being where I'm needed."  
"So you're saying that I don't need you?"  
"I don't even know you any more Buffy."  
"I do need you Riley but at the moment I need you as a friend."  
"You know that I've been told about these spiels that girls give out. The hole, lets just be friend or I'll call you shit! Why don't you just cut off my head, drain my blood and feed my remains to Angel?"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"I know it all Buffy, actually I've got it all on tape." Riley pulled a small tape recorder out of his pocket and pressed play on it. Willow and Angel's voices filled the silent room.  
  
"So you are thinking of actually doing this?"  
"Not being selfish but I would do anything to have Buffy but still be able to protect her."  
"You can test out the bracelets."  
"What are you going to lock us up in cage in case anything goes wrong?"  
"That was pretty much what I had planed. So will you try it?"  
"I would but I don't think Buffy will go for it."  
"Let me talk to her, see how she felt about you. I know for a fact that she still loves you but I don't know to what extent. If she opens up, I'll tell her about the bracelets."  
  
Riley pressed stop on the tape recorder and the room was silent again. "Your vampire didn't tell you that I visited him at his house, now did he?"  
"What is all this about Riley?"  
"You betray my trust Buffy. You have being screwing around with him behind my back and I can't believe I was so stupid to think that you were just his friend."  
"Believe me Riley if I had being sleeping with Angel, you and everyone else in this god forsaken town would know about. In case you forgot Riley, that when I slept with Angel once, just one time Riley, all hell broke lose. He went mental, killed a close friend, tried to kill me and Willow, plus everyone else. Believe me Riley you would know." She stood from the bed and walk to the mirror on her desk. She looked at herself while playing with the cross Angel gave her. "What did you come here for Riley? I hope it wasn't just to make things harder for me because you have no idea how hard thing already are."  
"No I didn't come here to make things harder, I came here to make things better, to make things easier."  
"And how are you making things easier, Riley?"  
"You'll find out in all due time. Now if you excuse me, I have places to be, people to see." He walked out the door and down the hall. "And vampires to torture." Riley laughed to himself.  
  
"So what did Riley want to talk to you about?" asked Willow, as they walked to Angel's mansion.  
"I don't know really. He said that he was trying to make everything easier on my but he didn't say how."  
"That's wired. Well forget about Riley for now. We have better things to do."  
"Like."  
"Like I have the big task of getting you and Angel back together."  
"I just hope that he is still here and hasn't gone back to LA."  
"Oh, he'll be here. I promised that he would stay a while longer."  
"It seem that you and Angel have become quite good friends."  
"What since he tried to eat me? I don't blame him for that little incident. He wasn't quite himself."  
"I wish that Xander was as forgiving as you Will." They walked through that back entrance of the mansion.  
"So I'm going to have to tell you how this how spell works. I've already sort of told Angel and he didn't mind what had to be done, except the bit about being locked up." Buffy stopped walking when she got to the bottom of the stairs.  
"Something's wrong Willow." Buffy produced a stake from her sleeve.  
"What makes you say that?"  
Buffy gestured to the windows. "The curtains are open and it's only just gone dark."  
"The Initiative."  
"Riley said he would make things better, I just hope he didn't mean by rubbing out the competition."   
Buffy walked into the mansion and looked around. Angel wasn't laying on the matters or sitting on the couch. She ran into the bedroom. Still on sign. She ran all around the house but still couldn't find him.  
Buffy walked slowly back to where Willow stood at the back door. "He's not here Willow." She said puffing slightly.  
"I know." She handed Buffy and yellow piece of paper. The same kind of paper from when he was bad and tormenting them both.   
Buffy read the piece of paper. "The Initiative have him. I'm going do some serious bodily harm to Riley when I find him."  
"But how are we to know where they have taken him?"  
"They're to smart to take him to the base but I'd say it is somewhere on the campus or just near it."  
"What about the sewers or the cemetery? There are plenty of mosaleioms."  
"No, I don't think so. To many other demons running around. It has to be somewhere quite."  
"What about that old frat house the vampires used to live in. It's kind of secluded and I don't think anyone's going be doing renovations on it any time soon."  
"You might just be right Will." Buffy walked out of the mansion. "We're going to need to stock up on the artillery. Hey what if that's how Riley is tracking us?"  
"How?"  
"They stuff they gave me when I part joined the Initiative. Like that pager and the guns. They could have bugged them. So could you go into the computer and find where they are?"  
"I'll do it but you're going to need reinforcements."  
"Sorry Will but you're not coming."  
"I know Buffy but when you go down there, its going to be like fighting five Angel's at once."  
"I get what you're saying. I am one and they are many but not if Angel is at full strength."  
"I hope his is, for all of our sakes."  
They got back to their dorm and Buffy geared up with all her weaponry. Willow got on her computer and searched around, trying to find any sign of the Initiative.  
"Got it Buffy." Will said tapping a few more keys on her laptop.  
"Where are they?"  
"Surprisingly, they're in the cemetery."  
"Well that's kind of weird. What number?"  
"Even more surprising they're in temple number 666."  
"Oh, brother. I knew that some of those guys where wacko's. Now I have to get going and kick some ass."  
"Before you go Buffy, I've got something that might help you." Willow went to the trunk at the end of her bed and pulled out a velvet pouch.  
"What's that?"  
"Sprinkle it over yourself and it'll make you invisible but only for a short time. About 20minutes, I think. It should be enough time to get into the building or out."  
"Thanks Willow. Wish me luck."   
"You don't need luck Buffy because you're stronger than them, smarter than them plus you're a girl."  
"What are you saying Willow?"  
"I never thought I would say this but use being a girl to your advantage. Now go kick some Initiative butt for me."  
"Will do." Buffy slung her crossbow over her shoulder, put the velvet pouch in one of her pockets and left.  
  
Buffy crouched down and scoped the entrance to the temple. No one was to be seen. 'It's to quite for my liking.' She thought to herself. 'When it's to quite, it means that something is out of balance or there is some big monster breathing down your neck.'  
Buffy's leg shot out from underneath her and flung her assailant to the ground. Pining them under her.  
"Spike! What the hell are you doing?" Buffy rolled off him. "So much for big monster."  
"Thanks for the complement. Anyway I've being hearing that some big stuff has being going down in these parts of the neighborhood since last night. Just coming to check things out. So what's the little Slayer up to then?"  
"None of you business Spike. Now if you don't want the Initiative doing any more testing on you, get out of here now."  
"Gees and guy can take a hint but weren't you rocken' the heavens with one of them guys?"  
"The rules have changed. There's a new player."  
"Angel! Those wankers have Angel." Spike laughed. "I bet you feel bad that you let them get him."  
Buffy snapped. She grabbed Spike by the neck and slammed him against a tree. "I said it was none of your business so rack off before I put a stake through you myself."  
"I'm going, gees keep your pants on. And I mean that literally. I don't want Angel going all Mr. King Dick on me again." His voice trailed off into the shadows.  
"Now I hope your magic powder works Will." Buffy looked back to the entrance of the temple and sprinkled the powder all over herself. "I don't feel any different, I just hope it worked." She made her way to the entrance of the temple and walked inside.   
Two guards stood 10metres from the entrance and Buffy crept up on them. "Hey, excuse me Mr. But can you see me?"  
The guards looked around for a source to the voice. "I take that as a no." The two guards went sprawling through the air by what looked like absolutely nothing. "I could get used to this." She commented and ran down the tunnel. The only trace of an intruder was that sounds of her footsteps on the concert floor.  
  
"This man, this monster, this being, is the source to controlling the Slayer." Frost was standing on a box and pointing at Angel, who was tied to a crane above his head. "With this vampire, we can control the Slayer."  
"Have you finished making your little prep speech Forest because I'm already getting bored?" Everyone looked around to try and find where Buffy was hiding.  
"Can't find me, can you?" He voice was at one side of the room. "One thing Angel tough me good." She was now on the other side of the room. "It's called Mr. Stealthy."  
The soldiers looked around puzzled. Angel smiled.  
"Get her." Yelled Forest.  
"But where is she, sir?" asked a soldier.  
"I don't know, just get her and string her up."  
"But that's not playing fair Forest." Buffy said front right behind him. Forest jumped with a fright. He then turned and started swinging his fists into thin air.  
Buffy laughed from meters away.  
She crept over to where Angel was tied up. "Hi Angel." She whispered. "It's good to see you again but next time can we make it on better circumstances. Just act like you're still tied up." Angel nodded. "This powder is going to wear off in a minute and then all hell is going to break lose. Are you strong enough to fight?"  
"I'm just lucky that Riley hasn't figured the art of torture. I'll fight."  
"Good. Put watch out for those flying stakes."  
"Enough with the games." Riley yelled, walking out of an adjoining room. "Seal off the area. Lock down the doors and turn on your inferred goggles. The vampire is still here, that mean so is Buffy. Kill him if you have to but don't touch her if you like your knee caps in tacked."  
Soldier started running around like crazy, obeying Riley's orders. Angel saw this as an opportunity. He pulled the ropes from his hand, that Buffy had untied and started knocking out unsuspecting soldiers.  
"You are pathetic Riley. I am the Slayer and I can wop your ass any day of the week."  
"I don't want to hurt you Buffy."  
"You say that but you're willing to kill Angel. Do you have any idea how much that would hurt me?" Buffy flickered back to her normal self. Seeable as ever. She was only a meter away from him.  
"He has already hurt you enough Buffy. Can't you see that he will only hurt you again."  
"You have given me a fair share of grief Riley Finn. What makes you think that you're any better than him?"  
"I have a beating heart." He put a hand to his chest.  
"That doesn't mean shit! His heart may not beat but at least he's warm and has a heart. I can't say as much for you."  
Angel had stopped and was listening to Buffy standing up for him and admitting that she loved him more than Riley.  
Buffy turned to look at Angel. "He has done something for me that you could never do. He's literally been to hell and back for me. I've never seem you make that kind of sacrifice."  
"Oh, I'll make a sacrifice alright." Riley gestured to his soldiers. Two groups of twenty soldiers broke up; one grabbed Buffy in a secure hold, the other group went after Angel.   
"Hurt him Riley and you'll never see the light of day again." Yelled Buffy. She struggled against her captures.  
"Kill him." Riley said, turning to Angel. "Kill him."  
"You can't do it so you get someone else to do your dirty work for you. I was right you are a chicken." Angel teased Riley.  
"You think I'm a chicken." Riley put a hand up to stop his soldiers from killing him. "Well I think you're a nothing. You have never achieved anything in your pathetic life and you never will."  
"That's shit Riley. Angel has achieved a lot. He achieved true happiness." Buffy declared to Riley as he walked past her and got closer to Angel.   
"What are you smiling at?" He glared at Angel.  
"She's right."  
Buffy pulled free from her captures and made a brake for Angel. "Where do you think you're going Buffy?"  
"To help a friend. Now get out of my way. I'm not going to go through this with you again."  
"Or what? You're going to kick me in the guts again."  
"I have two ways of kicking you in the guts Riley." Buffy stood at her fighting stance. "One. I tell you that I don't want to go out with you. You're dumped." Riley looked surprised but hurt. "And two. I kick you in the guts." Her foot connected with his stomach and he fall to the ground.  
"That's unfair play." Riley pulled himself up off the ground. Buffy took a step back from him.  
"Haven't you figured out that you can't bet me?" Riley throw a punch at Buffy and she blocked it. "I guess not."   
Both of them throw punches and kicks at each other. Buffy was doing pretty good at deflecting his attempts until one connected with her face, then her stomach and then her legs were knocked from underneath her. Buffy fall to the floor.  
"Stop it Riley!" yelled Angel. "Don't hurt her anymore. It's me you want to belt up, not Buffy."   
She got up off the ground and put a hand to her lip. She looked at the blood on her hand. "You split my lip Riley and made me dirty my new pants." She took a fighting stance again.  
Angel struggled with the soldiers and one hit him in the back of the head with something hard. "Now you've made me angry." Angel vamped out and put on his game face. He head butted the soldier closest to him, shattering his nose into fragments. He flung his arms forwards and two guys fall to the floor. "Don't you guys remember me?"  
"I remember you, vampire. You're scum."  
"Wrong answer." Angel put his foot where the guy's face was. The soldier fall to the ground in pain. "If you remember rightly, I took out three of your units in a single fight. Would you care to make that four?" Gloated Angel.  
"You don't frighten us vampire. We have being trained to fight obsolete beings, like you."  
"Well I don't see a lot of fighting going on, except for Buffy kicking it to Riley." They glanced over to Buffy and Riley, punching it out. Angel took a running jump and cleared their heads. "One thing that's a bonus about being a vampire. You can leap tall buildings in a single bound." He laughed.  
Angel landed right in the middle of Buffy and Riley.  
"Why are you beating up Buffy?" Angel simply asked and Riley turned on him.  
"You're right I do want to kill you. I'm just making you mad first."  
"Remember little boy, I've had a lot more experience doing this." He blocked Riley's punch and fought back. He got a fist into Riley's stomach. "And I think you need to learn when someone's acting."  
Buffy looked at Angel. "That's one thing that Cordy tough me. How to act. Even though she isn't that great." Angel through Riley at a wall, making him slid down it and lie still on the ground. "Shell he we get out here?"  
"Sounds good to me." Angel out stretched his harm to Buffy.  
"You're not getting out of here alive." Riley said to himself, picking up Buffy's crossbow she had dropped earlier. He aimed it at Angel and let the bolt fly towards its target. It hit home and Angel fall to the ground.  
"Angel! No Angel!" Buffy screamed. She puts her hands to his chest, where the end of the bolt was protruding. "You can't die now Angel. I'm not going to let you." Buffy started to cry. Angel put his hand on Buffy's cheek and made her look at him. "Don't cry Buffy, I'm not dying. I'm just lucky that Riley can't shot straight. He missed my heart."  
"Oh, Angel, don't you ever do that to me again." She ripped the sleeves off her top and placed them on Angel's chest when he pulled out the bolt. "I could never face loosing you again." She gave him a kiss and helped him up.  
"No, No, No!" yelled Riley. "That's not meant to happen. You're meant to die."  
"I would never have stayed with you if you had killed Angel. You are the most pitiful scum the crawls the Earth, Riley. Let me correct that, the lowest scum that crawls the underworld. If I ever see your face again, you're going to wish that I never learnt the torture bit from Angel too." As they walked past Riley, Buffy turned around and gave him a full on, all Slayer strength punch in the guts.  
  
"Are you guys alright?" Willow asked, when they entered their dorm. Buffy lay Angel down on the bed.  
"Yeah, I feel heaps better because I just found out that Riley is the biggest ass hole you could ever imagine." Buffy didn't look too happy. "And then I got to kick his ass." She laughed slightly. "Now lets get a look at this puncture wound." She rolled up Angel's shirt and touched the edges of his wound. He actually let her touch him with out too much fuss, this time.  
"It'll be gone by tomorrow." Reassured Angel.  
"I just remembered that...that I left my spell book at Tara's. Won't be too long." Willow hurried out of the room.  
"Thanks for coming to my rescue before Buffy."  
"I'm only happy to help but I just need to ask you something."  
"Anything."  
"How did you know that Riley wanted to kill you because of me?" Buffy sat inquisitively next to him on her bed. "When you've live as long as I have Buffy, you just get these gut feeling about people." Buffy finished dressing his wound but left her hands on his cold body. He sat up and looked her in the eyes.  
"You're going to give me the whole I'm older than you spiel again. Well, I kind of worked out something."  
"What was that?"  
"I figured that I like a lot older guys."  
  
  



End file.
